UK films manufacturer Innovia (Wigton; www.innoviafilms.com) has introduced a new high-speed BOPP film – “Propafilm” REF. The film has a wide sealing range and an enhanced hot tack performance compared with standard films, making it ideally suited to horizontal-form-fill wrapping applications. As well as offering excellent machinability, Innovia said Propafilm REF also provides good clarity and moisture barrier protection. Applications include biscuits and bakery, confectionery, dried foods, tea and cosmetics.

Noting that efficiency was just as critical as speed, Amaia Cowan, market development manager at Innovia Films, said Propafilm REF can also help with customers’ objectives to maximise output while minimising rejects. “With its higher COF [coefficient of friction] in the inner surface of the film, product movement within the pack can be reduced during the feeding stages, protecting seal damage and allowing good pack integrity to be maintained. Strong seals are achieved every time,” she said.

Meanwhile, Innovia has been working to widen the applications that BOPP can be used for. The company said that balancing new polymer properties with manufacturing capability can offer exceptional opportunities for BOPP in new markets.

Several additional products have been developed. These include “Rayoart” BOPP 60 micrometre clear and white films, CGS and WGS, for indoor and short-term outdoor graphic art applications. They can be used for up to two years outdoors and offer a viable alternative to calendared PVC for flat and simple curve graphic uses or pressure-sensitive labels. “Rayoweb” CRS provides an alternative to PET release liners, offering improved web stability for conversion through siliconisation processes, adhesive coating and narrow web label printing.

Innovia added that its “Rayoface” squeezable clear and white films, CZFA and WZFA, are now available at 51 micrometre, offering further benefits versus PE and machine direction orientation (MDO) films for containers that require squeeze performance. The company said CZFA has exceptional clarity, while both are compliant with EU and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food regulations.

Lastly, “Rayoface” VTT films are claimed to offer BOPP film performance with the print and aesthetics of paper and are ideal for labelling applications in wet and humid environments, such as needed for wine and beverage labels.